Drop cloth holder



Jan. 23, 1934. PERsQN 1,944,610

DROP CLOTH HOLDER Filed Dec. 19, 1932 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES DROP CLOTH HOLDER August Bernhard Person, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 19, 1932 Serial No. 647,949 j 4 Claims. (CL 24-84) My invention relates to that class known as a drop cloth holder supported by wall moulding, but may be attached. directly to the wall by screws or other means, and is provided with a ;cam and lever so arranged that when the cloth, or other fabric, is placed between the holder and the cam the weight of the cloth, or fabric, will tend to tighten the hold of the cam upon it, until released by the downward movement of the lever -;forming part of the cam.

The object of this invention is to hold cloth, or other frabric, firmly to the moulding, instead of securing it thereto by tacks, or other means, when the operator wishes to work overhead or near -;the walls of a room; also to hold or support other material that can be secured between the jaws thereof, not herein mentioned.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, not herein mentioned, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor zsdetails of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the device attached to a. moulding.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the device as shown in Figure 2. 1

In constructing the drop cloth holder I employ a strip of flat metal 1 bent to conform to the shape shown in Figures 1 to 3, in order to more fully describe the invention, although I am not con- -1Qgfined to any particular shape.

The upper end of the flat metal strip 1 (Figures 1 to 3) terminates in a number of sharp teeth 2 that assist in securely holding the drop cloth holder from displacement when supported by the jmoulding 3 that is firmly attached to the walls 4 of the room.

The metal strip 1 shown in Figure 1, has a short strip 5 attached to its outer surface and extending downwardly, terminating in two arms 6 and 7 .9 550 formed that the ends of said strip have two journals 8 and 9 to retain a short rivet 10, said rivet supporting a cam 11. A pin 12 in the said cam keeps the cam from turning too far.

A portion 15 of the inner surface of the flat 'metal strip 1 is serrated so that both surfaces of the cloth, or fabric, will be held firmly when placed between the metal strip andthe curved portion 14.01? the cam 11,while themetal strip (as shown in Figure 4) is shaped to form an openloopat its lower end and eliminates the strip 5, ml as shown in Figure 1.

It will be observed that a spring 13 (Figures 1 to 4) attached to the outer flat surface of the strip 1, extends downwardly, the lower end bearing on the cam 11, its purpose being to cause a 35 tension of the rough portion 14 of the cam against the cloth, or fabric, held between the plate 1 and cam 11.

Following is the mode of operation:

When the operators are calcimining the ceiling 7o of a room, in order to protect the walls, a number of drop cloth holders are placed on the moulding; then the edge of the cloth to be suspended is inserted between the metal plate 1 and cam 11, and the tension of the spring 13, with the weight of the cloth, or fabric, causes the serrated portion 15 of plate 1 to hold the cloth, or fabric, firmly between the curved portion 14 and said serrated portion of the device.

In order to release the cloth, or fabric, it is merely necessary to press downwardly on the outer end of the cam 11, thus opening the space between the serrated portion 15 and the curved portion 14 of said cam.

I claim:

1. A drop cloth holder comprising a supporting member having at its upper end a hook shaped portion for engaging a moulding, andhaving at 7 its lower end a cam so arranged that the face thereof will engage said member when in one position, but will be moved away from said supporting member in second position; a stirrup shaped strip attached at its upper end to the supporting member and having its lower end provided with journals a rivet mounted within said 952 journals and pivotally supporting said cam, and a flat spring attached to said strip, said spring contacting the cam to normally retain the same in engaging relation with said supporting memher.

2. A drop cloth holder comprising a supporting member having a hook portion for engaging a wall moulding; a cam pivotally mounted upon the said member and movable to engage and disengage the supporting member to retain and 1 5 release a drop cloth held between said cam and member; a stirrup shaped strip attached at its upper end to said supporting member and having its lower ends provided with journals; a pin mounted within said journals and engaging the cam to pivotally support the same; and a fiat spring attached to said stirrup shaped strip and also engaging the cam to normally hold the same in engaging relation with a drop cloth placed between said cam and supporting member, whereby the weight of said cloth will tend to move said cam to impinge said cloth against said supporting member.

3. A drop cloth holder comprising asupporting member having a hook portion for engaging a wall moulding; a cam pivotally mounted upon the said member and movable to engage and disengage the supporting member to retain and release a drop cloth held between said cam and member; a stirrup shaped strip attached at its upper end to said supporting member and having its lower ends provided with journals; a pin mounted within said journals and engaging the cam to pivotally support the same; a fiat spring attached to said stirrup shaped strip and also engaging the cam to normally hold the same in engaging relation with a drop cloth placed between said camand supporting member whereby the weight of said cloth will tend to move said cam to impinge said'cloth against said supporting member; and means for releasing said cam whereby said cloth may be disengaged from the supporting member.

4. A drop cloth holder comprising a supporting member having a hook shaped portion for engaging a wall moulding for supporting said holder; a depending stirrup shaped strip attached at its upper end to said supporting member and provided with journals in its lower end; a pin'mounted Within said journals; a cam pivotally mounted upon said pin and having a serrated face engaging said supporting member, said cam being provided opposite its serrated cam face with a projecting lug for moving said eam to releasing position, said cam being arranged upon its pivot to be moved by the weight of a drop cloth between said cam and supporting member when suspended from a moulding to move into engaging relation with the supporting member and impinge said cloth thereagainst; and a flat spring secured to said stirrup portion and normally moving said cam into engaging relation with said supporting member.

AUGUST BERNHARD PERSON. 

